In Zen there must be satori; there must be a general mental upheaval which destroys the old accumulations of intellection and lays down the foundation for a new life.

Insight knowledge comes from direct experience, not from intellectual understanding.

The root of happiness is altruism — the wish to be of service to others.

Emptiness is not nothingness. Emptiness is the space of possibility.

The practice of ethics is not about following rules but about developing inner purity and freedom.

Mindfulness is being aware of what's going on, not trying to control what's going on.

If you truly loved yourself, you could never hurt another.

Who would then deny that when I am sipping tea in my tearoom I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space?

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophical system but a practical guide to living.

The deepest happiness comes from having an enduring sense of purpose, one that gives our lives meaning beyond the endless pursuit of pleasure and success.

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.

When we recognize that our thoughts are just thoughts, we can choose whether or not to follow them.

The trouble is, you think you have time.

The more precisely you note, the more clearly you understand. The more clearly you understand, the stronger your insight becomes.

Altruism is not a luxury, it is a necessity for the survival of humanity.

Not knowing how near the truth is, we seek it far away.

The menu is not the meal.

If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.

The essence of the teaching is emptiness and compassion. Without emptiness, compassion can become attachment. Without compassion, emptiness can become cold and distant.

Through continuous mindfulness practice, the true nature of physical and mental phenomena becomes clear.

Neither from itself nor from another, nor from both, nor without a cause, does anything whatever, anywhere arise.

When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.

The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.

The Buddha's teaching is a middle way between all extremes, between eternalism and annihilationism, between self-indulgence and self-torture.

In a mind clear as still water, even the waves, breaking, are reflecting its light.

Life is like an ever-shifting kaleidoscope - a slight change, and all patterns alter.

Only one book is worth reading: the heart.

Sensations are not your enemy. They are your teacher. Through observing them, you understand the truth of existence.

Everybody has the light of Buddha within, but they don't look for it.

The path of practice requires both faith and wisdom, both devotion and understanding.

The purpose of a spiritual discipline is to give us a way to stop the war, not by our force of will, but through understanding and through letting go.

The nature of all things is like a magical illusion, a mirage, a dream, a reflection of the moon in water.